GPS TRACKING WITH CARTOGRAPHIC BOUNDARY FILES

• US 20110264529A1
• Filed: 04/23/2010
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Varga Media Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Varga Media Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Gann, Jason, Conlan, Casey
• Application Number:
  US12/766,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20110264529A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14.63
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/19 Sporting applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0266 based on the position of the vehicle

Abstract

The management of tracking units with a map representative of a geographic area is provided. A base address corresponding to a specific location on the map is received, and a plurality of boundary outlines circumscribing sub-segments of the map are generated. The boundary outlines correspond to cartographic boundaries within the geographic area, with each cartographic boundary having a predetermined number of fulfillment locations. An aggregate boundary outline based upon a selection of one or more contiguous boundary outlines is generated. Fulfillment indicators representative of a position on the map generally corresponding to the fulfillment locations is received, and overlaid on the map.

Claims

1. A method for managing tracking units with a map representative of a geographic area, comprising:

receiving a base address corresponding to a specific location on the map;

generating a plurality of boundary outlines circumscribing sub-segments of the map, the boundary outlines corresponding to cartographic boundaries within the geographic area each having a predetermined number of fulfillment locations;

generating an aggregate boundary outline based upon a selection of one or more contiguous boundary outlines;

receiving a fulfillment indicator from a one of the tracking units, the fulfillment indicator being representative of a position on the map generally corresponding to a one of the fulfillment locations; and

overlaying a fulfillment marker on the map based upon the received fulfillment indicator.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating one or more range perimeters along predefined distances from the base address;

wherein one of the range perimeters encompasses the selected one or more contiguous boundary outlines.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected one or more contiguous boundary outlines are completely enclosed within the one of the range perimeters.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected one or more contiguous boundary outlines are partially enclosed within the one of the range perimeters.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the range perimeters are circles defined by centers coincident with the specific location and radii of the predefined distances.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

overlaying the range perimeters on the map.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the cartographic boundaries are defined in accordance with census block groups.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the cartographic boundaries within the geographic area has a penetration level associated therewith.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

color-coding interiors of the boundary outlines in accordance with the associated penetration level.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving an exclusion region within the aggregate boundary outline, the exclusion region corresponding to a subsection of the geographic area having no fulfillment locations.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

overlaying the exclusion region on the map.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deriving a fulfillment total from a sum of each of the fulfillment locations within the aggregate boundary outline.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein fulfillment indicators are received from a plurality of tracking units traversing a subsection of the geographic area represented by the aggregate boundary outline for a defined period of time.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

ranking personnel associated with the tracking units according to a productivity criterion.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the tracking units send fulfillment indicators in real-time; and

the fulfillment markers are overlaid on the map upon receipt from the tracking units.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

overlaying historical fulfillment markers on the map, the historical fulfillment markers corresponding to the received fulfillment indicators over a predefined period of time.

17. A method for monitoring deliveries within a geographic constraint, comprising:

defining the geographic constraint on a map from selected cartographic boundaries, the geographic constraint having a predetermined number of delivery points;

receiving location coordinate data from one or more tracking units at a set frequency as the tracking units traverse the delivery points within the geographic constraint;

displaying the map in a user interface;

overlaying markers on the map, the position of the markers corresponding to the received location coordinate data.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the selected cartographic boundaries of the geographic constraint are within a predefined distance of a center address.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the cartographic boundaries are defined in accordance with census block groups.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

generating a first alert in response to receiving substantially identical location coordinate data from the same one of the tracking units at consecutive time intervals.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

generating a second alert in response to receiving location coordinate data corresponding to a location outside the geographic constraint.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

deriving an average speed from the location coordinate data of one of the tracking units; and

displaying the average speed in the user interface.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

deriving a covered distance from the location coordinate data of one of the tracking units; and

displaying the covered distance in the user interface.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein the tracking unit is a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) receiver with a remote communications module for transmitting the location coordinate data.

25. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

overlaying historical markers on the map, the historical markers corresponding to each received location coordinate data over a predefined period of time.

26. An article of manufacture comprising a program storage medium readable by a computer, the medium tangibly embodying one or more programs of instructions executable by the computer to perform a method for managing tracking units with a map, comprising:

receiving a base address corresponding to a specific location on the map;

generating a plurality of boundary outlines circumscribing sub-segments of the map, the boundary outlines corresponding to cartographic boundaries within the geographic area each having a predetermined number of fulfillment locations;

generating an aggregate boundary outline based upon a selection of one or more contiguous boundary outlines;

receiving a fulfillment indicator from a one of the tracking units, the fulfillment indicator being representative of a position on the map generally corresponding to a one of the fulfillment locations; and

overlaying a fulfillment marker on the map based upon the received fulfillment indicator.